Not many international cricketers across the world have managed to stay fit enough to play cricket at the highest level after the age of 40 years. And even if there have been a few, they’ve played domestic cricket or played as batters, not as pacers. But there’s one legendary pacer in England’s James Anderson who looks fit as a fiddle, breaking records even at the age of 41 now.
Currently playing on the 2024 England tour of India, Anderson has gone on to create a historical moment for himself, and for Test Cricket in general. He was already the first pacer in Test history to reach 600 career Test wickets (to be followed by Stuart Broad a few years later), and today, he went on to become the first fast bowler to get 700 Test wickets!
James Anderson 700 wickets moment
Only twice before have bowlers got the chance to celebrate 700 Test wickets, and those were iconic spinners in Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Muralitharan and Australia’s Shane Warne. But since pacers have a greater physical toll on their bodies, none of them managed to reach this milestone, until Anderson decided to get there, on the fifth and final Test of the India tour, at the picturesque Dharamshala Stadium.
He wouldn’t have wanted to pick up the James Anderson 700 wickets moment at any other stadium than this. On Day 2 of the 5th Test of the series, India bowled first and rattled out the visitors for 218 before batting and piling on a big 1st innings lead. This was led by centuries by Shubman Gill and Rohit Sharma in the first session before Anderson bowled Shubman Gill to bag his 699th wicket.
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From there on, every ball bowled by Anderson was being followed with anticipation and hype, as any of them could be the 700th Test wicket. So if you’re wondering or making a Google search on James Anderson Test wickets total, please don’t, as you now know it’s 700 Test wickets. On the list of highest wickets in Tests, he has been third behind Muralitharan and Warne for many years now.
1877 – First match happened in Test cricket.
2024 – James Anderson becomes the first pacer to complete 700 wickets in Test cricket.
History in Dharmasala. 🐐 pic.twitter.com/mywG75j7PN
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 9, 2024
On that same highest Test wickets list, Anil Kumble is at number #4, retiring with 619 test scalps, while Broad is at number #5, recently walking away from the game after bagging 604 wickets in whites for England. These are the only 5 bowlers to reach the 600+ Test wickets list, and Anderson is the only one of them from current international cricketers. Watch the James Anderson 700th wicket video here:
JAMES ANDERSON COMPLETED 700 WICKETS IN TEST…!!!! 🫡
– One of the greatest moment in cricket history. pic.twitter.com/7mOu9LzMjo
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) March 9, 2024
Anderson had to wait overnight on 699 and when he came out on Day 3, he got Kuldeep Yadav dismissed caught behind by keeper Ben Foakes. What a special moment as he became the first pacer and the first Englishman to get to 700 Test wickets. For similar cricketing news and updates from around the world, remember to always stay tuned to ReadScoops.com…
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